Well-drilling apparatus



Feb.J 2 1926.

O. B. WALL WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet l gwve'no' l] urlando Emwll i Grromwfz,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 2 E926.

D. B. WALL WELL DRILLING` APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1922 HLw/Hot rfi. ELT-1 du EN'VL 3 D 9 U5 Z @Henley Feb., 2-, '19.26. 1,571,309

l o. B. WALL WELL DRI LLI NG APPARATUS Filed March 28, .1922 3 sheets-sheet e l 7 L EJE l Hx' i E A M E i 1 y 53 l i 15/ A a S i D l HI 45 \\d 45, ad

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Patented Feb. 2, 192.

WELL-'DBILLING APPARATUS..

Application led Harch 29, 1922.- Serial No. 547,445.

To alt whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RLANDO B. WALn a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain n ew and useful Improvements in Well-Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to earth b oring and the primary object of the invention is the provision of a novel well drilling apparatus embodying a novel drill bit, which is so constructed that the same will expand after projection from the drill casing, the bit c onstruction permitting the saine to be withdrawn through the casing without the necessity of pulling the casing.

Another object of the invention is the rovisioii of a novel expansible well dril ing bit, in which the bit blades will automatically move out to their operative cutting positions, when the drill bit is projected out of the casing and into engagement with the work, and automatically moved inward t0 their inoperative non-cutting position when the drill is raised into the drill casing, for any reason. g

A further object of the inventionv is the provision of a novel expansible drill bit, in which the cutting blades thereof can be removed so that different types of cutters can be used withthe same drill or bit head, the drill or bit construction permitting gear cutters to be used for hard formations or fish tail drill blades to be used for soft formations.

A' further object of the inventio is the provision of'an improved drilling apparatus embodying anfimproveddrill or bit including a head, arms pivotally associated with the head, having means for limiting 'their swinging movement into operative and inoperative positions, the arms having means for detachably receiving rotary gear cutters or rigid fish tail cutters.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a povel well drilling apparatus, embodying novel means for permitting the free circulation of water through the drill stem, "around the drill cutters, and up through the casing around the stem, whereby all of the drill cuttings will be effectively carried away from the bit cutters.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel con' struction, arrangement and formation of pants, as will, be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichy drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged diametric vertical section through the lower endv of the drill PATENT orFicE.

stem casing and the drill bit, showing the l same in operative cutting position in a shaft, and taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a vertical, diametric section through the. well drilling casing, showing l the same in operative position in relation to the shaft or hole, the drill bit being shown in elevation and in its raised inoperative non-cutting position.

Fi re 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, showing the bottom plan view of the improved drill or bit.

Figure 4 is a diametric section through the` lower end of the well casing, stem and bit, showing parts of the bit in section and Iillustrating the fish tail cutter blades substituted 'for the gear cutters.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the bit with the fish tail cutter blades in raised inoperative non-drilling position.

Fi ure 6 is a horizontal section taken onk the line 6-6 of Figure 4, showing a bottom plan view of the drill with the fish tail lcutter blades -in position.

Figure 7 is a diametric section taken through the lower end of the drill or well casing and bit, showing the bit partly in section, the section being taken at right angles to Figure 1.

U Figure 8 1s a section similar to Figure 7, illustrating the arrangement of one of the fish tail bit blades in position.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the .line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line 10--10 of Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line 11-11 of Figure-4. Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several yiews, the letter A generally indicates the improved well drilling apparatus, which may include the casing` C, the drill stem D, and the novel bit or cutter E.

The drill casing Greis of the usual or any preferred construction, and is made up of a string ot' pipes of the desired diameter and miN ict

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vfand is disposed in axial concentric relation connected together in theu'sual way. This casing is adapted to be gradually lowered as thev shaft or hole is sunk', and new sections or pipe'lengths added to the string as the casingis lowered. A i

-The -drillstem D is of hollow formation to the casing, and this ,stemis also preferably made up of al lurality of sections. or

pipe lengths y23 wh1chcanlbethreadably` connected or secured together 1n any preferred way; As shown in the drawings, each pipe or drill stem section has its lower end vprovided with an internally threaded socket 24, forA the reception of an externally. threaded nip e formed on'the opposlteen'd l: drill section with whxch'it 1s of the pipe o connected A.

The drill sections orpi lengths are added to the stem yas the s 'aft or holewis sunk.

The bit or drill E part of the present invention andcom rises essentiall a head 25, which is provide with* an axial re 26, which is'adapted to align with the bore of the drill stem D, so that the passage of. water through the drill head will be readily permitted; As shown, the upper endhof the head 25 is provided with an externally threaded nipple 27 for inser v.tion in thel threaded socket 24 formed Ain the lower end ofthe lowermost section or length 23 of the stem D.

The head 25 is provided ,at spaced oints with recesses28in its outer face for t e re'- cept-ion of anti-friction rollers 29, whichl can be mounted upon removable fastening elements or bolts Theseanti-fnction I rollers 29 lare' adapted to yextend outwardly forming-a part' of the casing. This will effectively preyent displacement of any of the pipe sec ns from the string and the lepipe sections'into the shaft Ihe lower end of the headl 25 is bifurcated at -diametrically opposite points, to `provide means for receiving suitablefbits, or as shown, the lower-gend of thvjhead 25 can be provided with pairs of ears' 31. 32,33 and 34, arranged 'at quarters forthe reception of the blades 46 or cutter carriers or arms 30 and 44;` v

lThe pairsA of ears 31iand 32 are disposed fimdiametric alignment, and the pairs of ears'33g-aiid 34are in diametric alignment.

forms anrimportantv lugs 3.9 vwhich are either cutters ofthe gear type therewith, and thus the drill can be effecarms 30.I The arms 30- are hingedly mount- .,cd-f-upon suitable pivot pins 38, which extend, through the pairs of ears 33' and 34,

:and thus these arms 30 are permitted to swing inwardly toward the axial center of the drill, and outwardly away from the axial center of the drill. The arms 30 at their outer ends are rovidcd with limiting apted to abut against the lower surface of the head 25, adjacent to the outer edge thereof.

'Disposed intermediate the sidecutters 36 is the central 'cutter 41, which extendsdiametrically across the lower end of the bit in fixed relation with the head 25, and includes the oppositely disposed tapered members 42 which may be integrally connected bv a vcentrally dlsposed grooved hub, 42. This central cutter 41 is mounted upon a pivot bolt--43, which is supported by depending arms `44. These arms 44 are disposed inter- Amediate the ears 31 and 32 and securely held 1n place between the same'by bolts l45.

Now, when the bit is to, bel used for cuttlng in soft formations, the arms 30 and 44 are removed from the lead 2 5 and the pair of bit blades 46, and the cross vblade 47 substituted therefor. The pair of blades 46 are connected to the ears 33 and 34 by means of pivot pins 47 and thus these blades are permitted to swing outwardly mto operative. cutting osition when -the drill is projected outwar ly of the casing C. The lower terminals of the blades 46 are sllghtly flared outwardl as at 48, and it is obvious that these bla es will automatically'be moved into their cutting position'when they strike the lower end of the shaft or hole being sunk. The inward and outward `swinging movement of the pair of blades `46 is limited by the upper face of the blades 46, andthe upper edge of the blades at the outer edge thereof are provided with the 'limiting shoulders 49. The blade 47 is disposed intermediate the'pair of blades 46, and takes the placeof the central cutter 41 andas clearly1 shown in Figure 8 of the .drawings provides a double cutter which is rigidly secured between the pair of ears 31 and 32 by means of bolts 50. As shown, the blade 47 is very similar to the ordinary type with grooves 51 which-align and communicate with the grooves 52 formed in the inner bore 2G of the lhead 25. This permits the free circulation of water through the bit in order to effectively wash the cuttings away fromthe blades. By referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it also can be seen that the arms 3() and 44 are also grooves, as at 53, to perform a similar function with the grooves 52 formed'in the bore.

l It is apparent that when the drill bit is projected through the casing C, and the cutters 36 or 46 come into engagement with the shaft toV be drilled, the cutters will be automatically spread into their operative cutting positions. It is likewise apparent that when the'bitis raised, the liared outer surface of the arms 3() or the cutters 46 will come into engagement with the casing, and thus be movedinwardly into their collapsed position, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and l5 ofthe drawings.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an exceptionally simple or novel drill or bit has been provided, in which the different characters of cutters can be associated with a common head, and the cutters permitted to be moved outwardly into an extended operative cutting position or into an inoperatlve non-cutting position.

Changes in details may be made without' for communicating with the first mentioned grooves.

2. A drill bit comprising a'rotary head,

a plurality of diametrically op osed pairs ofeals carried by the lower ace of the head, a diametrically extending non-swingable gear cutter carried by certain of the ears, and a pair of swinging gear'cutters pivotally associated with the other ears.

3. A drill bit comprising a head including a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposed ears, a diametrically extending rotary cutter carried by certain of the cars, swinging arms pivotally associated with the other ears car'- ried by the head, means for limiting the inward and outward swinging movement of the arms, and rotary gear cutters carried by the lower ends ofthe arms.

4. A drill bit comprising a head having a concentric waterway therethrough, a plurality of ears, depending arms rigidly carried by certain of the ears. a diametrically extending gear cutter carried by the arms, a pair of diametrically disposed pivot arms carried by the ears, the lower terminals of -the last mentioned arms being bent outwardly, gear cutters carried by the bent terminals of the arms, the inner surfaces of the arms being all lprovided with grooves for communicating with the axial waterway.

5. A drill bit comprising a head, a diametrically extending removable rotary cutter carried by the head therebelow operating on a fixed diametrically disposed axis,

and pivoted cutter members including rotary cutters at their outer ends carried by the head directly at-opposite sides of the. diametrically extending cutter and inwardly of the ends of ,said diametrically extending cutter swiugable directly toward and away from the diametrically extending cutter.

' ORLANDO B. WALL.l 

